Empire of Japan (I
The Empire of Japan is a prominent power of the Far East in Iron and Blood IV: Powerplay. It is played by JoanK. Pre-game history Disclaimer: All of this is a direct excerpt from Wikipedia. 'Prehistory and ancient history' A Paleolithic culture around 30,000 BC constitutes the first known habitation of the Japanese archipelago. This was followed from around 14,000 BC (the start of the Jōmon period) by a Mesolithic to Neolithic semi-sedentary hunter-gatherer culture, who include ancestors of both the contemporaryAinu people and Yamato people,[19][20] characterized by pit dwelling and rudimentary agriculture.[21] Decorated clay vessels from this period are some of the oldest surviving examples of pottery in the world. Around 300 BC, the Yayoi people began to enter the Japanese islands, intermingling with the Jōmon.[22] The Yayoi period, starting around 500 BC, saw the introduction of practices like wet-ricefarming,[23] a new style of pottery,[24] and metallurgy, introduced from China and Korea.[25] Japan first appears in written history in the Chinese Book of Han.[26] According to the Records of the Three Kingdoms, the most powerful kingdom on the archipelago during the 3rd century was calledYamataikoku. Buddhism was first introduced to Japan from Baekje of Korea, but the subsequent development of Japanese Buddhism was primarily influenced by China.[27] Despite early resistance, Buddhism was promoted by the ruling class and gained widespread acceptance beginning in the Asuka period (592–710).[28] The Nara period (710–784) of the 8th century marked the emergence of a strong Japanese state, centered on an imperial court in Heijō-kyō (modernNara). The Nara period is characterized by the appearance of a nascent literature as well as the development of Buddhist-inspired art andarchitecture.[29] The smallpox epidemic of 735–737 is believed to have killed as much as one-third of Japan's population.[30] In 784, Emperor Kammumoved the capital from Nara to Nagaoka-kyō before relocating it to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto) in 794. This marked the beginning of the Heian period (794–1185), during which a distinctly indigenous Japanese culture emerged, noted for its art, poetry and prose. Lady Murasaki's The Tale of Genji and the lyrics of Japan's national anthem Kimigayo were written during this time.[31] Buddhism began to spread during the Heian era chiefly through two major sects, Tendai by Saichō, and Shingon by Kūkai. Pure Land Buddhism (Jōdo-shū, Jōdo Shinshū) greatly becomes popular in the latter half of the 11th century. Hideyoshi launched an invasion of Korea in 1592 with the goal of annexing Korea and the Jurchens, and defeat China so to eliminate the threat it put to Japanese interests. Within three months, Korea had fallen under Japanese control, and the Japanese armies, superior in many ways to their enemies, usually held the field in most engagements, but soon guerrilla warfare by Korean partisans disrupted their supply lines and the Japanese control over the peninsula was in danger. Eventually, a chain of tactical defeats due to undersupplied units caused the Japanese to retreat and sue for peace in 1595. But Japan was allowed by virtue of the peace treaty to keep the island of Jejo and the settlement of Busan in the south-east corner of Korea, as a trading goods depot. Hideyoshi didn't give up his ambitions and carefully planned for two years his next move. In 1597, a massive Japanese army stationed in Busan and commanded by Tokugawa Ieyasu advanced and quickly took the most important cities and ports of the southern and western coasts. His army razed and massacred whole coastal towns and ports which were quickly resettled with people of Japanese origin and unquestionable loyalty as supply depots. This time, the goal was merely to take possession of Korea and hold it Japanese. In less than half a year, the peninsula was firmly in Japanese control, supply lines running along the coast and through heavily fortified ports and depots. Thanks to the careful planning of Japanese generals, the Battle of the Yalu River, between Japan and Ming China, ended with a crushing Chinese defeat, who nevertheless managed to inflict heavy casualties on the Japanese army. Among the casualties, Tokugawa Ieyasu, the daimyo chosen by the Taiko himself to overview the Council of Regents until the coming of age of his son Hideyori. Both parties sued for peace, with Ming China weaker than ever and struggling with the Jurchen clans to its north and the Japanese too focused on brutally repressing Korean resistance and resettling its main cities with Japanese people, as well as the hereditary struggle following Hideyoshi's death in September 18th of 1598. 'Feudal era' Japan's feudal era was characterized by the emergence and dominance of a ruling class of warriors, the samurai. In 1185, following the defeat of theTaira clan, sung in the epic Tale of Heike, samurai Minamoto no Yoritomo was appointed shogun and established a base of power in Kamakura. After his death, the Hōjō clan came to power as regents for the shoguns. The Zen school of Buddhism was introduced from China in the Kamakura period(1185–1333) and became popular among the samurai class.[32] The Kamakura shogunate repelled Mongol invasions in 1274 and 1281, but was eventually overthrown by Emperor Go-Daigo. Go-Daigo was himself defeated by Ashikaga Takauji in 1336. Ashikaga Takauji establishes the shogunate in Muromachi, Kyoto. It is a start of Muromachi Period (1336–1573). The Ashikaga shogunate receives glory in the age of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, and the culture based on Zen Buddhism (art of Miyabi) has prospered. It evolves to Higashiyama Culture, and has prospered until the 16th century. On the other hand, the succeeding Ashikaga shogunate failed to control the feudal warlords (daimyo), and a civil war (the Ōnin War) began in 1467, opening the century-long Sengoku period ("Warring States").[33] During the 16th century, traders and Jesuit missionaries from Portugal reached Japan for the first time, initiating direct commercial and culturalexchange between Japan and the West. Oda Nobunaga conquered many other daimyo using European technology and firearms; after he was assassinated in 1582, his successor Toyotomi Hideyoshi unified the nation in 1590. Game History Toyotomi had himself proclaimed kampaku (regent) since his humble ascent didn't allow him to achieve the position of shogun. This position would then pass from father to son in the Toyotomi clan. Hideyoshi adopted the position of Taiko (retired kampaku) soon, his nephew inheriting it, but with Hideyoshi being the actual ruler of the country. Once his second son Hideyori was born in 1593, Hideyoshi's nephew was forced to commit suicide in order to avoid any fights for succession. 'Invasion and subjugation of Korea' Hideyoshi launched an invasion of Korea in 1592 with the goal of annexing Korea and the Jurchens, and defeat China so to eliminate the threat it put to Japanese interests. Within three months, Korea had fallen under Japanese control, and the Japanese armies, superior in many ways to their enemies, usually held the field in most engagements, but soon guerrilla warfare by Korean partisans disrupted their supply lines and the Japanese control over the peninsula was in danger. Eventually, a chain of tactical defeats due to undersupplied units caused the Japanese to retreat and sue for peace in 1595. But Japan was allowed by virtue of the peace treaty to keep the island of Jejo and the settlement of Busan in the south-east corner of Korea, as a trading goods depot. Hideyoshi didn't give up his ambitions and carefully planned for two years his next move. In 1597, a massive Japanese army stationed in Busan and commanded by Tokugawa Ieyasu advanced and quickly took the most important cities and ports of the southern and western coasts. His army razed and massacred whole coastal towns and ports which were quickly resettled with people of Japanese origin and unquestionable loyalty as supply depots. This time, the goal was merely to take possession of Korea and hold it Japanese. In less than half a year, the peninsula was firmly in Japanese control, supply lines running along the coast and through heavily fortified ports and depots. Thanks to the careful planning of Japanese generals, the Battle of the Yalu River, between Japan and Ming China, ended with a crushing Chinese defeat, who nevertheless managed to inflict heavy casualties on the Japanese army. Among the casualties, Tokugawa Ieyasu, the daimyo chosen by the Taiko himself to overview the Council of Regents until the coming of age of his son Hideyori. Both parties sued for peace, with Ming China weaker than ever and struggling with the Jurchen clans to its north and the Japanese too focused on brutally repressing Korean resistance and resettling its main cities with Japanese people, as well as the hereditary struggle following Hideyoshi's death in September 18th of 1598. 'Regency period' White peace was achieved, with Japan in full control of Korea, officially a vassal state of Japan but actually another Japanese province, and the Ming forces depleted. Once Toyotomi Hideyoshi died, the Council of Regents formed by Mōri Terumoto, Ukita Hideie, Maeda Toshiie, Uesugi Kagekatsu and Shimazu Yoshihiro, who replaced Ieyasu in the Council. Although the lack of a unified rule caused serious troubles to the stability of the government, the period is marked by the invasion of the Ryukyu islands by the Shimzu clan in name of the Emperor and the Kampaku. In 1609, in the last days of the council, it was agreed that the Shimazu would be granted permission to vassalise the Ryukyus in exchange for a part of the vassalage being paid to the other regents and to the national treasury. In spite of the rivalry between the regents, it is known that they made pacts to ally in a succession of different campaigns to subjugate Japan. Aside of the regions of Kinki and Kanto, under control of the Toyotomi and the Tokugawa respectively, most of Japan fell to one of the five regent clans. Kyushu was reunited under the Shimazu, the Mori took hold ot Western Honshu, the Ukita getting Shikoku and Awaji, the Uesugi the East of Honshu and the Maeda a sort-of buffer zone in central Honshu. Korea and Hokkaido were divided among other clans and daimyo loyal to the regents or displaced so that the regents could control their area of influence. '17th Century' When Toyotomi Hideyori arrived to power in 1611, he found a country at peace, divided among few clans in the mainland and abroad, and richer than ever thanks to Portuguese trade. but with the arrival of the Norse-Dutch Miura Anjin (William Adams), the monopoly soon ended as eminently Dutch ships of the VOC arrived to Edo and Osaka and Nagasaki. The Kampaku took advantage of their competition and opened the country's main ports to nanban trade, increasing its wealth and power. Thanks to Miura Anjin's work, soon Japan was able to field its own Western-style warships, whose first tests had been in 1609 with the conquest of the Ryukyu. The designs evolved along the first half of the century to adapt better to the conditions of the Pacific Ocean and more specifically the Asian Seabord. In 1662, when the last remnants of Ming China invaded Canton from its few remaining settlements in Taiwan, the opportunity to test the new found naval might of Japan arrived. In a dashing raid, the Ming bases were bombed and soon afterwards its fleet sunk, leaving its army in Canton cut off its bases in Taiwan. This was followed by a massive invasion of the sparsely populated island and its settlement with Japanese people, as it would serve from now on as the headquarters of the Japanese Southern Fleet, tasked with the elimination of pirates and the escort of European trading ships to Japan. The arts of Miura Anjin extended over cartography, providing the Japanese with its first World Maps. These were used by the Japanese to establish direct trade with America. In Central America, a few Japanese trading posts were established apart from Spanish ports, where Japanese traders and sailors could stay and observe their traditions without nanban interference. In 1672, Toyotomi Hideyori died, and his son Hidetsugu took his place as Kampaku. Hidetsugu, more daring than his father, soon sent missions not to trade with the westernmost Spanish colonies, but to explore every square inch of sea between America and Japan, leading in the advent of the new century to the confection of the world-renowned Japanese Atlas, the most exhaustive and complete naval chart of the Pacific up to the date. It included a small archipelago in the middle of the sea, called by natives "Hawai'i". Due to the massive distance, coordinating or even planning an invasion of the islands, which would make a great trading post and supply depot for the Japanese trading ships, was impossible and thus discarded. '18th Century' The century of the 1700s started well for the nation of Japan, with the consolidation of its conquests in the previous century. Hidetsugu moved Japanese trade away from the Japanese mainland to Taiwan and Korea, and established yearly trade routes with America, similar to the Portuguese Black Ships of the 16th Century. Thanks to those measures, the expansion of Catholicism and nanban habits to the Japanese people was severely reduced and the old culture kept safe. Christian daimyo, and the Shimazu and the Tokugawa did not like these measures which pulled away from them the commerce which was the source of their power. Furthermore, population growth was far larger than economic growth, spurred by temporary wealth and, above all, the long-lasting peace for more than two generations, was the cause of much greater unrest. 'Conquest of Karafuto' 'Colonisation of Karafuto' In order to diminish this unrest and overpopulation, the successor of Hidetsugu, Yoshimoto, organised in 1742 the settlement of the island of Karafuto, north of Hokkaido and already home to a few Japanese fishermen. These large-scale settlements were seen as an aggression by its local Ainu people, which had previously been pushed away from Hokkaido as the Japanese took control over it in the 15th Century. The Easternmost clans of the Manchu, on Kitaezo, saw an opportunity to weaken Japan for their own vague purposes, perhaps an invasion of Korea, and did not hesitate to provide the Ainu with modern weapons and even with troops of their own. From 1742 to 1746, Ainu skirmishes were rare and were carried out with primitive equipment, but then the Manchu brought advisers and around a thousand muskets, and the conflict became a full-scale war. The Kampaku, seeing the opportunity to end with all of his problems at once, called the Tokugawa and the clans from Kyushu to go to war in Karafuto, along with the Uesugi. The Shimazu apportioned a considerable fleet of their own to watch the coast of the island and prevent the enemy from being resupplied, but Manchu ships were allowed to pass as they were not in a state of war with Japan. The Japanese brought a force of 200,000 men that were fortified in a series of positions around the main settlement of Toyohara, and from there a force of 50,000 under Shimazu command engaged the enemy. Meanwhile, settlement plans were still carried out, the settlements now fortified. The number of Japanese troops in total on Karafuto is estimated to have been of 300,000 during the campaign, one third of it being garrisons unrelated to the Kampaku's army. In the end, the Manchu brought over Karafuto a force equal if not greater than the Japanese, in order to aid the Ainu in their final assault of Toyohara which would bring an end to the Japanese venture. 'Battle of Toyohara' The Shimazu, seeing the crossings of Manchu troops, alerted the Kampaku, who reunited all ships available in the country and brought with them as many cannons as they could carry, to be unloaded and carried to Toyohara. It is still the greatest concentration of early artillery ever displayed, with a number of cannons ranging in the thousands. In the end, the forces that clashed at Toyohara totaled at least 500,000 soldiers, and the artillery involved goes from 1,073 cannons in some reports to 5,000, all of them on the Japanese side, for a mere 12 Manchu batteries. The most often used adjective for the battle is "slaughter". The Japanese formed 150,000 outside the city, facing an enemy roughly twice its size, with the other 50,000 men in a near settlement maneuvering to attack the back of the enemy force. From hundreds of yards, the Japanese cannons fired from their strategically better located positions in and around the city, decimating Manchu numbers from afar. Chaos spread among Manchu ranks, and were pushed to perform a frontal charge against the enemy in battle formation before them. Divided between running away or forward, the Japanese army of 50,000 pushed them and the Manchu's reckless charge ended in disaster as shells kept raining. Once they were at range from Japanese musketmen, Manchu waves fell one after the other while Manchu artillery had fallen to the Japanese, who were using it against them. Caught in a crossfire, the Manchu force was completely annihilated, only a few hundred Manchus and a dozen Ainu captured where hundreds of thousands died. Japanese casualties were less than 10,000, mainly because of friendly fire when some shells hit the 50,000 men army as they stormed the enemy back, and a few hundreds due to the Manchu charge. With this flawless victory, the Japanese met no further resistance in their colonisation and rule of the island, and obtain proof to conquer the Manchu clans. 'Conquest of Kitaezo' Leaving the cities' garrisons as local army, the Japanese fleet raided the main ports of Kitaezo and searched its coast for ideal landing spots. The army of 200,000 men split, 125,000 crossing to the continent from the northernmost spot of the island, and 75,000 being transported to Korea to attack from the South. In September 18th, 1746, the anniversary of the Taiko's death, Japanese troops marched into the Manchu territory of Kitaezo, taking all of its coast in less than two months. In November 17th, both armies met halfway to the other's starting location. Local fear and inability to field an army due to psychological effects of the Japanese victory at Toyohara led to the region surrendering practically without a fight. In December the 5th, a peace agreement was signed with the Manchus, by virtue of which the coast west of Karafuto became rightfully Japanese. Both the island and the land granted by the treaty was subject to the colonising process underwent by Hokkaido, Korea and Taiwan before them. Category:Nations Category:Iron and Blood IV